


Say it with flowers

by rudbeckia



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Character, Crack, Language of Flowers, M/M, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 21:03:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14197650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rudbeckia/pseuds/rudbeckia
Summary: Hux knows Mitaka has a crush on Ben, but poor shy Doph will never say a word about it. Hux decides that the best thing to do is buy Ben some flowers and say they are from Doph. It does not go the way Hux thinks.Based on this tumblr post:https://nofootprintsinsalt.tumblr.com/post/172548906329/redhairedfeistynerd-robtherich-need-thislink here if it worksBecause that is the most kylux/language of flowers thing I have ever seen.





	Say it with flowers

Hux kept his head down but peered over the top of _The Art of Electronics_ at the man who’d just walked past. Beside him, a soft snigger alerted him to the fact that Dopheld had noticed too. Hux turned the page and made a show of sitting forward at the long table, clicking his lamp on and taking some notes. Doph raised his book and hid behind its cover. The target of Hux’s attention sat opposite.  
“What’s an M.Eng. doing with a B.Lit. in the fine art section?” The young man’s voice was lighter than his bulk promised. He caught sight of Dopheld’s book. “And why in all the galaxy would you be reading up on the language of flowers? You know that was totally made up shit to keep young ladies entertained in Victorian times, right?”  
“Wasn’t!” snapped Dopheld, snapping the book shut too.  
Hux sighed. “Does it matter?”  
“I guess not,” said Ben. “You can’t really say anything genuine with flowers. I mean, I sent my dad a cute ring of white lilies once because I thought they were pretty and smelled nice and Mom went off on one because she thought I was sending them a wreath.” Ben sighed. “Completely the wrong message. Actually, If you’re done with that book can I have it?”  
Ben held his hand out and Dopheld, cheeks still red from having actually spoken to Ben Solo and not died on the spot from some kind of heart implosion, slid the book across the table and snatched his fingers back as if Ben might burn him up. “Thanks,” said Ben, smiling and winking. “The illustrations in this volume are rather good.”  
Dopheld muttered something to Hux, hugged his bag and coat to his front and scurried away. Hux and Ben grinned at one another across the table then, with matching throat-clearing, both got back to their studies. Maybe it was the heating, but Hux couldn’t concentrate.

Ben’s words taunted Hux later: _you can’t really say anything genuine with flowers._ He knocked on Doph’s door and stuck his head round to peer in. Dopheld lounged on his bed with his earbuds in and another book with a painting of a bouquet on the cover.  
“Doph?” Dopheld sat up and clicked off his music. Hux eased his lanky frame through the narrow gap in the door. “I was thinking you could send Ben some kind of message. Use that flower language you’ve been reading up on.”  
“Ugh, no. He’d know it was me and—“  
“Isn’t that the point?” Hux shrugged. “Tell Ben you like him? Hear him say _I like you too?_ Go out?”  
“Too risky. What if he uses the wrong... a different reference book to look up the meanings? What if I mean to say _I like you let’s go out for a pint_ and he translates it as _you’re hot I want to drink your cum?_ I’d be mortified.”  
Hux laughed. “Just do something, Doph. This crush is driving you round the bend.”

Hux knew Doph would do nothing. He’d done nothing the previous semester when a tall, blonde called Phasma had joined them on an exchange programme, and after a few weeks of embarrassed, furtive glances they’d become drinking buddies. He’d done nothing the semester before when he’d nursed a painful crush on Hux for a few weeks, backing off rapidly when Hux paid him any attention, and now they were comfortable flatmates. He’d done nothing when he couldn’t take his eyes off one of the newbies at freshers’ fair and now Thanisson, who never knew, was his best friend. For a moment, Hux wondered if having a crush was just Doph’s first phase of making friends. As far as he was aware, the man had never actually made an advance on anyone.

Well. Hux could fix that for him. For some reason, Hux wanted more than anything to go out, buy flowers and leave them in Ben’s dorm room.

Hux knew Ben’s routine in the casual, non-stalkery way that everyone in their loose friendship group vaguely knew everyone else’s habits. Ben would be out by the time he got back from the florist in town. He’d been into Kanata’s before, once to buy deep coral roses for someone who turned out to be hurtfully straight and once to buy bluebells to hand to Professor Sloane along with a substandard essay. She’d asked if he’d done it for a bet and he’d nodded.

Maz was out but her apprentice smiled from amongst the greenery.  
“Hi! Can I help you?”  
Hux looked at the girl’s name badge. “Um, yes. Rey? I need some flowers to send a message.”  
Rey rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, unrequited love?”  
“Yes! How did you know?” Hux brightened. Perhaps this teenager knew more than he did about flowers. He almost rolled his eyes at himself for the thought.  
“It’s a gift,” she said drily. “Look, the surest and cheapest way is to do this.” She grabbed a pre-wrapped _2-4-£1_ bunch of daffodils and held them out. “You hand over the flowers and you say _hello I think you’re nice would you go out with me?”_  
Hux watched as water dripped on the floor between them. He shook his head. “Efficient, but won’t work. You see I’m sending them to one shy friend on behalf of another.”  
Rey plopped the daffodils back into their bucket. “You do know,” she said, making uncomfortable eye contact, “that that’s a really fucking dumb thing to do?”

“REY!” The back door clanged.  
“SORRY MAZ!” Rey sighed. “Okay I better sell you something then. What about a dozen pink roses?” She pointed at a display. “Only these ones are half price on account of they’re just about blown and since it’s not you that’s in luuurve—“  
“Fine.”  
“Fiver?”  
“Okay.”  
Rey wrapped the bouquet carefully and wrote out a gift card in precise block letters, giggling when Hux dictated _To Ben, I’ve admired your arse for ages, from Doph._

Getting into Ben’s place was easy. He slipped in behind someone else and called the duty dorm supervisor with some story of having been sent back by Ben to get a spare tube of his favourite gold ochre. The supervisor opened Ben’s room door and said to check in with her when he left. He was alone in Ben’s bedroom. He’d been there once before, sat on the edge of the bed and drank cheap wine with three other students, but Ben wasn’t one for entertaining in his dorm room and there had been no subsequent invitation. Hux gave in to the temptation to open Ben’s wardrobe door and stick his head in, just to breathe, then unwrapped the flowers and looked around for something to use as a vase.

There was nothing. Not even a stray pint glass from the student union bar or a forgotten, mouldy old mug. He’d have to think of something fast before the dorm supervisor got suspicious. As he looked around the room again, his eyes settled on the wide open blooms and a single petal hung down, tumbled then fluttered to the floor. Hux laughed.

 

Ben Solo laughed with his classmate then stopped abruptly in his doorway.  
“Sorry, change of plan. My room’s a real mess.” He blocked his classmate’s view. His companion shrugged and continued along the corridor, calling back something about coffee later. Ben went back inside and locked the door behind him. He turned round slowly and looked. There, spelled out in letters formed from pink rose petals, were the words:

_YOU HAVE A NICE ARSE_

Ben took a photo with his phone then carefully collected all the petals into a pile. He picked up the wastepaper basket and went to scoop the floral detritus into it when he saw a card in there. He plucked it out and read it.

_from Doph?_

He shook his head, thinking of the nervous kid who was always hanging around when he wanted to get that gorgeous redhead, Hux, on his own. No. Not Dopheld. Phasma had been his friend too and she’d had a theory that he wasn’t really into girls or boys but liked the thrill of having a crush. She said she’d teased him a bit but he’d backed off pretty damn fast when she’d offered a casual fling, then they’d had an awkwardly funny conversation and ended up laughing and hugging.

Not Doph, although he was kind of cute.

He had to investigate, but he had to have coffee first. The dorm supervisor caught him heading for the communal pit that passed for a kitchen.  
“Hey, Ben, you get that paint you sent your mate to fetch?”  
“Uh?” said Ben. “What?”  
“Tall, skinny, ginger dude. Sounded plausible so I let him in.”  
“Oh, yeah. Thanks.”  
“Give him your fucking keys next time, huh? I hate being disturbed.”  
“Okay. Sorry.”  
Ben grinned. He made coffee, took it back to his room and bagged the rose petals. Hux would be out tonight at the Engineering Department’s annual showcase.

Doph opened the door and almost had a heart attack.  
“Ben? Um...”  
“Doph, hi, please don’t panic. I’m not here for you.”  
“What?”  
“Can we get past the awkward thing? I like you but you know I have a thing for a certain arrogant redhead, and you don’t actually want me to... um. Right?”  
Dopheld closed the door in Ben’s face, then counted five and opened it again.  
“Hi Ben, Armitage isn’t here right now but—“  
“I know. Can I come in anyway? I need to ask you a favour. About him.”  
“Okay.”  
Doph stepped back and Ben followed him to the flat’s communal area. Five doors led from it into four boxy bedrooms and one bathroom. Dopheld put the kettle on.  
“Funny you should show up,” said Dopheld, keeping his back to Ben. “Hux was just telling me I should send you a bunch of flowers. I had no intention of _ever_ saying _anything_ to you. Tea?” Ben nodded. Doph rinsed out a teapot. “Funny how quickly a crush can evaporate. I thought this one had at least another month to run its course.” He poured boiling water over two teabags. “Bastard.”  
“Sorry.”  
“Oh not you, Hux.”  
“Ah. Yes. Um. Phasma told me you two—”  
“I could use a hug if that’s not too weird. Drink your tea and tell me what you need me to do.”

Fifteen minutes later Dopheld Mitaka thought he was going to choke on his laughter. Ben stood with the empty bag in his hand and surveyed their handiwork. The message was perfect.

 

Hux got home after a surprisingly sober evening in the faculty building. The Engineering Showcase was a formal affair, attended by the Dean and all the professors and whichever sponsors looked the most likely to part with cash. Professor Sloane even wore a dress with her habitual scowl. Hux wore a suit and politely declined an invitation to the postgraduate after-party. He let himself in, made tea and went to his room. When he snapped the light on he almost dropped his mug. There, in pink petal letters on his bed, was the message:

_LET ME SUCK THAT DICK_

Hux closed his eyes and shook his head. He took a deep breath and yelled, “MITAKA!”  
Doph peered around Hux’s shoulder, and he giggled.  
“What is the meaning of this?” Hux demanded.  
“Couldn’t say, Hux.” Doph suppressed another laugh. “Looks like someone wants you to let him su—“  
“DOPHELD!”  
“Oh all right!” Doph pushed Hux further into the room and closed the door. “Ben knew it was you. He came round. We had a chat. Sorted out a few things.”  
“Did you tell him you like him? Is this revenge for—“  
“Oh good galaxies no!” Doph laughed. “That’s all done with. We’re just friends.”

 

About twenty hours later, Ben answered a knock at his dorm room door.  
“Oh! Hi, Hux.”  
“Hi. Um.” Hux held out a small bunch of daffodils. “I like you so can we...?”


End file.
